Designing a protocol to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections among hospitalized patients.

Hospital-acquired urinary tract infections comprise 40% of hospital-acquired infections with over 80% of these hospital-acquired urinary tract infections associated with the use of urinary catheters. The process that was used to establish a new hospital protocol using the "IAIMS" (identifying, assessing, implementing, modifying/maintaining, spread/surveillance) model to reduce the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections is described. The example is intended to serve as a framework for the development of protocols to address other hospital-acquired infections.

Inverse correlation between level of professional education and rate of handwashing compliance in a teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate educational level as a contributing factor in handwashing compliance. DESIGN: Observation of hand washing opportunities was performed for approximately 12 weeks before an announced Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) visit and for approximately 10 weeks after the visit. Trained observers recorded the date, time, and location of the observation; the type of healthcare worker or hospital employee observed; and the type of hand hygiene opportunity observed. SETTING: University of Toledo Medical Center, a 319-bed teaching hospital. RESULTS: A total of 2,373 observations were performed. The rate of hand washing compliance among nurses was 91.3% overall. Medical attending physicians had the lowest observed rate of compliance (72.4%; P<.001). Nurses showed statistically significant improvement in their rate of hand hygiene compliance after the JCAHO visit (P = .001), but no improvement was seen for attending physicians (P = .117). The compliance rate in the surgical intensive care unit was more than 90%, greater than that in other hospital units (P = .001). Statistically, the compliance rate was better during the first part of the week (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) than during the latter part of the week (Thursday and Friday) (P = .002), and the compliance rate was better during the 3 PM-11 PM shift, compared with the 7 AM-3 PM shift (P<.001). When evaluated by logistic regression analysis, non-physician healthcare worker status and observation after the JCAHO accreditation visit were associated with an increased rate of hand hygiene compliance. CONCLUSION: An inverse correlation existed between the level of professional educational and the rate of compliance. Future research initiatives may need to address the different motivating factors for hand hygiene among nurses and physicians to increase compliance.

Implementation of the "FASTHUG" concept decreases the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in a surgical intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement 100,000 Lives Campaign made VAP a target of prevention and performance improvement. Additionally, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations' 2007 Disease Specific National Patient Safety Goals included the reduction of healthcare-associated infections. We report implementation of a performance improvement project that dramatically reduced our VAP rate that had exceeded the 90th percentile nationally. METHODS: From 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2005 a performance improvement project was undertaken to decrease our critical care unit VAP rate. In year one (2004) procedural interventions were highlighted: aggressive oral care, early extubation, management of soiled or malfunctioning respiratory equipment, hand washing surveillance, and maximal sterile barrier precautions. In year two (2005) an evaluative concept called FASTHUG (daily evaluation of patients' feeding, analgesia, sedation, thromboembolic prophylaxis, elevation of the head of the bed, ulcer prophylaxis, and glucose control) was implemented. To determine the long-term effectiveness of such an intervention a historical control period (2003) and the procedural intervention period of 2004, i.e., the pre-FASTHUG period (months 1-24) were compared with an extended post-FASTHUG period (months 25-54). RESULTS: The 2003 surgical intensive care VAP rate of 19.3/1000 ventilator-days served as a historical control. Procedural interventions in 2004 were not effective in reducing VAP, p = 0.62. However, implementation of FASTHUG in 2005, directed by a critical care team, resulted in a rate of 7.3/1000 ventilator-days, p